AM Rule Refresher: Shoes Make The Man

The quality of your shoes reveals how much you respect yourself. Of all the items in a man’s wardrobe, shoes are the single most important element of style. Of course, if you are familiar with the AskMen.com Style Bible, or if you’ve ever noticed women checking out your shoes before their eyes rise to scan the rest of your look, then you already know this. The truth is that shoes make the man. If you’re a bit clueless in the shoe department, however, here is what you need to know.

How much is too much for a pair of shoes?

With shoes, you get what you pay for. Even when times are tough, you can still spend a little more on well-made shoes because you can make them last much longer than a suit or a cashmere sweater. In fact, if you choose a pair of shoes made with real leather, sturdy stitching and solid soles, they will outlast almost all other items in your closet. You’ll be able to have them repaired over time at a fraction of the original purchase price, so spend as much as you reasonably can for a pair of shoes.

Getting the best fit for your feet

First, wear the same type of sock you plan on sporting with the shoes in question to the shoe store, or at least bring them with you. Don’t rely on those stockings the store has in a box. You’re a man, and you don’t wear ladies' stockings with your oxfords, no matter what the clerk says. If it’s an unplanned purchase and you happen to be in your gym gear, buy a proper pair of socks off the rack to ensure a proper fit. With that said, try to buy your shoes later in the day, when your feet have swollen and spread a bit from walking or running. After lunch is fine, but just before dinner is even better. Your new shoes might feel a little loose in the morning, but you will soon notice that you can wear them all day as your feet expand.

The essential shoes for every man

Dress Oxford

Plain dress oxfords might seem boring or too conservative amid a rack of pick-stitched ankle boots and fleur-de-lis perforated wingtips, but consider for a moment that you’re buying a pair of shoes that you will wear to work (and interviews), weddings, funerals, first dates, and everything else in between. A classic dress oxford — plain toe or cap toe — will get you through more moments in your life than any other men’s shoe to date possibly could.